Packing the bus as school year nears

The aisles of the school bus parked in
front of Walmart on Nelson Road on Saturday were each labeled with
something different.
A sign above one seat read, “Back Packs.” A handful were stacked
next to one another, the price tags tangled in the straps.
Another row was labeled “Kleenex,” and boxes of it were stacked
high on the seat. There were seats designated for colored
pencils, pens, construction paper and scissors, all of the
supplies local schoolchildren could need for the upcoming year.

Saturday’s Pack the Bus event was a
partnership with a handful of local businesses, including the Salvation
Army. KVHP-TV
spearheaded the school supply drop-off, and the rain early on
didn’t have much of an effect on the process. By noon, the bus
was steadily filling with items.

Under a tent next to the bus, KVHP promotions director Sofia Simancas unloaded some of the bags filled with supplies. She
talked about what the event means for local families in need.

“We sign up families during the
promotion, throughout and after. Over 50 families have signed up
already,” Simancas said.
“They tell us the types of things they need for the school year,
and we try to fill those needs. We always try to work with
that feedback.”

Even though the number of shoppers stopping by to drop off donations had slowed a bit, Simancas said one of the fun things
about the event in general was seeing kids and adults want to help.

“Sometimes I get out there and I talk
to the kids and the kids want to help. They pick up an extra pack of
crayons or a notebook,”
Simancas said. “Recently a lady went in for a sandwich and asked
us what this we all about. We told her, she went in, did
her shopping, then went all the way to the other side of the store
to get some supplies to donate. It’s a great way for people
to help others. Southwest Louisiana is very generous.”

David Craddock of the Salvation Army was also in attendance at the event. While taking a quick break for lunch, he discussed
his organization’s role in the donation process.

“We’re always providing people with
food and clothing and things of that nature throughout the year, so we
contacted many
of these families,” Craddock said. “There’s a lot more coming to
us for the first time. What’s happening is money is running
out to meet their needs and with school, there’s so many supplies
and things they need. The list seems to get longer every
year.”

Craddock talked about how families that
are stretched financially always have a hard time gathering the school
supplies their
children need. He based the ability to provide for those families
and those kids on the generosity of residents in the area.
The help, he said, can relieve some of the stress those students
may face as the school year rolls around.

“Honestly, the kids are happy to have
it. They’re not singled out in class where they think, ‘They have what
they need and
I don’t,’ ” Craddock said. “They feel like they fit in with
everybody else in their class, and it takes a load off of their
minds.”

Craddock said additional supplies can be dropped off at KVHP, at 129 W. Prien Lake Road, throughout the week. The Salvation
Army will begin organizing and distributing the backpacks at the end of the month.